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Re: SamAshrayanam

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Mani Varadarajan • January 22, 1998 


> Even, today I hear from some that women folks shoud not chant
> Sri. VishnusahasranAma stotram for whatever reason.

I have also heard this, but only from informal Sri Vaishnavas --
never an acharya or scholar. I suspect this is a practice 
carried out in some places where women were naturally and
culturally restricted in many ways from learning and religious
knowledge.

Sri VishnusahasranAma stotram is unequivocally meant for
everyone, and everyone should learn and recite it. It is 
from the Mahabharata, to which there are absolutely no
restrictions, traditional or otherwise.

In the end, it is my belief that we should move away from
restrictions such as these and encourage all to share in
our religious wealth.  In this case, for example, the
VishnusahasranAma is just a list of the names of the Lord --
and why should anyone be stopped from reciting that?

adiyEn Mani